Sermon Discussion Questions

Who are you following?

Why is important to discover who is leading your leader? Is it a problem if the one whom you follow, one you deeply love and respect, is being led by one whom you do not respect at all? Why or why not? What, if anything, should you do about it?

A once-respected leader doesn’t reject the wise counsel of others and then choose self-aggrandizement overnight. What leads these leaders down this destructive path and how can we recognize this slow fade so as to warn and possibly prevent chaos and conflict? It can be a perilous task to question a superior’s character. How should one go about it and when is it worth the risk?

1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” This admonition from Paul was a warning to the Corinthian church. There were some in Corinth who denied the resurrection and thus, lived like there were no consequences for their actions. What effect can denying the power of the resurrection have on decision-making? Compare and Contrast that worldview with the following one. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight,” as found in Proverbs 9:10.

What is your balance?

In speaking of the importance of balance, Pastor and author Wayne Cordeiro uses a sailing analogy to illustrate how important godly character is to a leader. He said that in order to survive strong ocean currents that are ever-changing, a sailboat needs to have more weight underneath the water than above it in order to keep the ship upright. The weight required is godly character. Cordeiro remarks, “There’s going to come a point in your life where you’re going to need the weight beneath the waterline. None of us are immune to temptations. The devil wants all of your dream, not a little part. Everything you’ve done is preparing for the moment you’re ready to give up. God gives you His dream, but you seek His favor—what He will do through us—and when you do, you’ll have the weight beneath the waterline.” What “weight” does godly character lend itself to in times of great trial?

Paul had no interest in being compared to a super apostle. He wished to have his actions judged against Jesus instead. What leadership characteristics model that of our savior? Which characteristics draw you to follow a leader and why? What are the most damaging characteristics a leader can exhibit? What lasting consequences can these damaging characteristics carry?

Can you afford to stay the same?

Complacency is incredibly dangerous. It distorts reality, destroys relationships and causes a slow death just to name a few. How is this sin so deadly and destructive?

One usually fails to see the line crossed into complacency until one is beyond the point of little consequence. What are the warning signs and how can we train ourselves to send-off alarm bells before we’re enticed to settle into its complicated sin?

What about the church today?

Covid-19 has certainly left its mark in 2020. The world will look different after coronavirus. Will it change the church? Should it change the church? Why or why not?

Why should we consider it “all joy” as found in James 1:2-4 when facing painful trials? Should we wish that calamity fall upon us more often? Is it possible to learn the perseverance lessons that are brought about by trial by another means?

Read Hebrews 12:25-29. What is meant by “things that are shaken?” Why do we need the removal of “shakable” things for the unshakable to be revealed?